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ITHACA. N.
Charles
Y. 14583
W. Wason
Collection
on China and the Chinese
Cornell University Library
PL 2658.E3G47
Chinese poetry
In
English verse
3 1924 008 867 222
Cornell University
Library
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4
n
CHINESE POETRY
IN
ENGLISH VERSE
'
HERBERT
A.
- --
^
f/
^
f,
GILES
M.A.; LL.D (Abeid.)
PROFESSOR OF CHINESE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
London
Shanghai
BERNARD QUARITCH
KELLY & WALSH,
1898
Ld.
\aI^u^
PRINTED BY
E.
J.
BRILL, LEYDBN (HOLLAND).
Dear Land of Flowers^ forgive me I
These snatches
And
from
—
that
I
took
thy glittering wealth of song^
twisted to the uses of a book
Strains that to alien harps can n^er belong.
Thy gems
shine purer in their native bed
Concealed.,
And
there.,
beyond the pry of vulgar eyes ;
through labyrinths of language
The patient student grasps
the glowing prize.
Yet many., in their race toward other
May joy
led.,
goals.,
to feel., albeit at second-hand.,
Some far faint heart-throb of poetic
Whose breath makes
incense in the
souls
Flowery Land.
H. A. G.
Cambridge:
October tSgS.
;
;
TO A YOUNG GENTLEMAN
Don't come
in,
my
Don't break
Not
sir,
please!
willow-trees!
that that would very
much
But alack-a-day what would
!
And
I
love you as
I
grieve
me
my parents say?
may,
cannot bear to think what that would be.
Don't cross
Don't spoil
Not
my
my
wall,
sir,
please!
mulberry-trees!
that that would very
much
But alack-a-day! what would
grieve
my
me
brothers
say?
And
I
love you as
I
may,
cannot bear to think what that would be.
;
!
!
Keep
outside,
Don't spoil
Not
my
that that
But alack-a-day
And
I
sir,
please
sandal-trees!
would very much grieve
!
me
what the world would say
love you as
I
may,
cannot bear to think what that would be.
Odes^
:
TO A MAN
You seemed a
guileless
woven
Offering for silk your
But
I
silk
With you
I
silk
I
you had
^
"I
for
many a
do not wish
But friends must
Oh, do not
in view.
crossed the ford, and while
wandered on
said,
stuff;
was not required by you
was the
We
youth enough,
let
fix
my
mile
delay.
our wedding-day
words give pain,
But with the autumn come again."
And
To
I
used to watch and wait
see you passing through the gate;
And
My
then
sometimes when
tears
would flow
I
watched
in vain,
like falling rain;
4
But when
I
my
saw
darling boy,
laughed and cried aloud for joy.
I
The
fortune-tellers,
Had
all
pronounced us duly paired;
"Then bring a
"And
The
I'll
carriage,"
away
to
replied,
I
be your bride."
mulberry-leaf, not yet
By autumn
O
you declared.
undone
shines in the sun.
chill,
tender dove,
would advise,
I
*
Beware the
O
maiden
fruit
fair,
that tempts thy eyes
not yet a spouse,
List lightly not to lovers'
A
man may do
Will fling
its
shadow
A
woman who
Is
doomed
The
Now
this
wrong, and time
o'er his crime;
has lost her
name
to everlasting shame.
mulberry-tree
sheds
vows!
its
upon the ground
yellow leaves around.
^
!
5
Three years have slipped away from me,
Since
first
And now
I
shared your poverty;
again, alas the day!
Back through the
My
heart
Have
is
uttered words
my
way.
left
me
untrue;
to deplore
love that can be mine no more.
And
honestly
And
you,
The
truth
all
and
rise
Each day
So
I
was your
led in truth a toilsome
Early to
I
take
now proved
For three long years
I
I
unchanged, but you
still
And you have
A
ford
the
fulfilled
well,
my
life;
late to bed.
alike passed o'er
—
wife,
my
my
head.
part;
you have broke
my heart.
brothers will not know,
more
their gibes will flow.
grieve in silence and repine
That such a wretched
fate is mine.
hand
to face old age!
Ah, hand
in
Instead,
turn a bitter page.
Oh
Oh
I
—
for the river-banks of yore;
for the
The hours
much-loved marshy shore;
of girlhood, with
my
hair
Ungathered, as we lingered there.
The words we
spoke, that seemed so true,
should rue;
I
little
thought that
I
little
thought the vows
Would some day
I
we swore
bind us two no more.
Odes
THE CRICKET
The
cricket chirrups in the hall,
The
year
is
dying
fast;
Now let us hold high festival
-^^ Ere the days and months be
Yet push not revels
That our
past.
to excess
fame be marred ¥^^f
Lest pleasures verge to wickedness %1-^
fair
;
Let each be on his guard.
Odes
THE HUSBANDMAN'S SONG
Work, work,
Till sunset
I
—
from the rising sun
comes and the day
is
done
plough the sod
And
harrow the
And meat and
So what care
I
clod.
drink both
for the
come
to
me.
powers that be?
Anon
YAO'S ADVICE
With trembling heart and
Walk
daily in fear of
Though you never
You may
trip
cautious steps
God
over a mountain,
often trip over a clod.
Anon
lO
INSCRIPTION
ON A WASH-BASIN
Oh, rather than sink
I
would sink
in the world's foul tide
in the
For he who sinks
bottomless main;
in the
world's foul tide
In noisome depths shall for ever abide,
But he who sinks
May hope
in the
bottomless main
to float to the surface again.
Anon
1
1
UNPOPULARITY
Among
birds the phoenix,
among
fishes
the leviathan holds the chiefest place;
Cleaving the crimson clouds.
the phoenix soars apace,
With only the blue sky above,
far into the
realms of space;
But the grandeur of heaven and earth
is
And
to
as naught to the hedge-sparrow race.
the leviathan rises in one ocean
go
to rest in a second,
While the depth of a puddle by a humble
minnow as
And
the depth of the sea
just as with birds
so too
it
is
with
and
man;
is
reckoned.
fishes,
12
Here soars a
phoenix,
there swims a leviathan.
Behold the philosopher,
full
of nervous
thought,
with a fame that never grows dim.
Dwelling complacently alone,
—
say,
what can the vulgar herd know of him?
Sung Vu, 4th
cent.
B.C.
!
13
NEGLECTED
Green grows the grass upon the bank,
The
A
willow-shoots are long and lank;
lady in a glistening
gown
Opens the casement and looks down.
The
roses on her cheek blush bright,
Her rounded arm
A
is
dazzling white;
singing-girl in early
And now
Ah,
if
life.
a careless roue's wife
he does not mind
He'll find
some day the
Mei
Sheng,
his
own.
bird has flown
2nd
cent.
B.C.
4
1
PARTED
The
red hibiscus and the reed,
The
fragrant flowers of marsh
All these
I
As though
I
gather as
for
I
one now
and mead,
—
stray,
far
away.
strive to pierce with straining eyes
The
distance that between us
lies.
Alas that hearts which beat as one
Should thus be parted and undone!
Mei Sheng
15
ON THE DEATH OF
I
I
FATHER
HIS
look up, the curtains are there as of yore;
look down, and there
is
mat on the
the
floor
These things
I
behold, but the
man
is
•,
no
more.
To
the infinite azure his
And
I
am
Of solace
left friendless,
bereft,
The deer on
And
spirit
has flown,
uncared-for, alone,
save to weep and to moan.
the hillside caressingly bleat.
offer the grass for their
young ones
to eat,
While birds of the
air
to their nestlings
bring meat.
!
i6
But
I
My
a poor orphan must ever remain,
heart,
so
still
young,
overburdened
with pain
For him
I
shall
never set eyes on again.
a well-worn old saying, which
'Tis
all
men
allow.
That
grief stamps the deepest of lines on
the brow:
Alas
for
my
hair,
Alas
for
my
father, cut off in his pride!
Alas that no more
Oh
it
I
is
silvery
may
now!
stand by his side
where were the gods when that great
hero died?
Liu mng. Died B.C.
157.'^
17
AMARI ALIQUID
The autumn
blast drives the white scud in
the sky,
Leaves fade, and wild geese sweeping south
meet the eye;
The
scent of late flowers
fills
the soft air
above,
My
heart
full
of thoughts of the lady
I
love.
In the river the barges for revel-carouse
Are
lined
by white waves which break over
their
bows;
Their oarsmen keep time to the piping and
drumming
Yet joy
as naught
is
Alloyed by the thought
That youth
slips
away and
that old
is
Liu
Ch'e,
age
coming.
B.C. 156—87!'
i8
GONE«
The sound
of rustling silk
is
stilled,
With dust the marble courtyard
No
footfalls
echo on the
filled;
floor,
Fallen leaves in heaps block up the door....
For
And
my pride, my lovely one is lost.
am left, in hopeless anguish tossed.
she,
I
Liu Ch'e
;
19
THE AUTUMN FAN.
O
fair
white
silk,
fresh from the weaver's
loom,
Clear as the
frost,
bright
as
the winter
snow
See
!
—
friendship fashions out of thee a fan.
Round
as the round
moon
shines in heaven
above
At home, abroad, a
Stirring at every
And
yet
I
fear,
close
move
companion thou,
the grateful gale;
ah me! that autumn
chills.
Cooling the dying summer's torrid rage,
Will see thee laid neglected on the
shelf.
thought of by gone days,
them
All
like
by-gone.
The Lady Pan,
ist cent.
B. C.
^
20
CARPE DIEM
Man
reaches scarce a hundred, yet his tears
Would
When
fill
a lifetime of a thousand years.
days are short and night's long hours
move
Why
slow,
not with lamp in search of
pleasure go?
This day alone gives sure enjoyment
Why
—
then await tomorrow's doubtful
this!
bliss?
Fools grudge to spend their wealth while
life
And
then posterity their
We
cannot hope, like
abides.
thrift derides.
Wang
Tzii-ch'^iao
^,
to rise
And
find a paradise
beyond the
Anon,
skies.
1st cent.
B.C.
;
!;
21
THE ELIXIR OF
LIFE'
Forth from the eastern gate
my
steeds
I
drive,
And
lo!
a cemetery meets
Aspens around
The road
is
my
view;
in wild luxuriance thrive,
fringed
with
and pine
fir
and yew.
my
Beneath
Wrapped
Down by
feet lie the forgotten dead.
in
a twilight of eternal gloom
the Yellow Springs ^° their earthy
bed,
And
How
everlasting silence
fast
the
lights
is
their
doom.
and shadows come
and go
Like morning dew our fleeting
life
has
passed
;
22
Man, a poor
Is
traveller
on earth below,
gone, while brass and stone can
still
outlast.
Time
is
inexorable,
Against
his
and
might
in
the
vain
holiest
mortal
strives
Can we then hope
this
precious boon to
gain,
By
strange
elixirs to
prolong our
lives?...
Oh, rather quaff good liquor while we may.
And
dress in silk
and
satin
Anon^
every day!
1st cent. B.C.
.
23
A FIRST-BORN
The wanderer reaches home
From absence
Hiis
of a year and more;
eye seeks a beloved boy
His wife
lies
A
—
weeping on the
They whisper he
Of evening
with joy
gone.
is
fall;
floor.
The glooms
beyond the gate
lonely grave in outline looms
To
greet the sire
Forth to the
Where
little
His
mound he
wild-flowers
His bones are
in
who came
too
late.
flings,
bloom on every
side
the Yellow Springs,
flesh like dust
is
scattered wide.
24
"O
child
who never knew
For ever now
to
thy
be unknown,
Ere long thy wandering ghost
Of
"O
flitting
sire,
friendless
shall tire
and alone.
son, man's greatest earthly boon.
With thee
He bowed
I
his
bury hopes and fears."
head
in grief
and soon
His breast was wet with rolling
Life's
tears.
dread uncertainty he knows,
But oh
for this untimely close!
K^ung Jung^ Died A.D. 208}^
25
AN ABSENT HUSBAND
clouds
floating
that
swim
heaven
in
above
Bear on your wings these words to him
I
Alas, you float along nor heed
And
me
leave
love
my
pain,
here to love and long
in
vain!
see
1
other
dear
ones to their homes
return,
And
for his
Since
my
coming
lord
left
shall not
—
I
too yearn?
ah me, unhappy
day!
My
mirror's
dust has not been
—
brushed
away;
26
My
heart,
like
running water, knows no
peace,
But
bleeds
and
bleeds
forever
without
cease.^''
Hsii Kan,
2nd and 3rd cent. A. D.
27
THE BROTHERS
A
fine
dish of beans
had been placed
in
the pot
With a view
to a
good mess of pottage,
all
The
hot.
beanstalks, aflame, a fierce heat were
begetting,
The beans
in the
pot were
all
fuming and
fretting.
Yet
the beans and the stalks were not
born to be foes;
Oh why
should these hurry to
finish off
those ?
Ts'ao Chih,
A.D. 192—232^^
;
28
LOVERS PARTED
In the
Kingdom
of
Yen
a young gallant resides,
In the
Kingdom
of
a
No
Chao
damsel abides;
fair
long leagues of wearisome
road intervene,
But a chain of steep mountains
is
Ye
set in between.
clouds, on your broad
bear
The winds
for
my
me
lies
afar,
horses
made
Ah, jade
bosoms
fast to
my
car!
deep hid
in the
bowels of earth
29
To
the
fair
epidendrum
the prairie gives birth;
And
the clouds in the sky,
they come not at call;
And
the fickle breeze
alas,
And
so
I
am
but to
fall.
left
with
And
rises,
my
thoughts to repine,
think of that loved one
who
ne'er can be mine.
Fu Mi. 3rd and
4th
cent.
A.D.
30
AFTER PARTING
Thy
chariot
and horses
have gone, and
And
fret
long for the lover
I
O
I
ne'er can forget.
wanderer, bound
in far countries to dwell,
Would
I
were thy shadow!
—
I'd follow thee well.
And though clouds and though darkness
my
presence should hide,
In the bright light of
I
day
would stand by thy
side!
Fu Mi
31
TRUE PLEASURES
The
bright
moon
shining overhead,
The stream beneath
Are pure and
the breeze's touch,
perfect joys indeed,
—
But few are they who think them such.
Anon
j
;
32
A RECLUSE
A
scholar lives on yonder
hill,
His clothes are rarely whole to view,
Nine times a month he eats
Once
~A
in ten
wretched
He
years his hat
lot!
—
his
fill.
new.
is
and yet the while
ever wears a sunny smile.
Longing tb know what
At dawn my
Where dark
And on
like
was
he,
steps a path unclosed
firs
left
the passage
firee
the eaves the white clouds dozed.
But he, as spying
my
intent.
Seized his guitar and swept the strings
Up flew a crane towards heaven bent,
And now a startled pheasant springs
Oh, let me rest with thee until
The
winter winds again blow
Vao
chill!
ChHen, A. D. 365
—42
:
!
33
A PRAYER
Ye
fluttering birds in
That
to
and
plumage gay
fro direct
The Western Mother's
The
Oh, be
And
I
far-off"
my
^*
your
flight,
—
court by day,
mountain-peaks at night,
—
messengers and go
bear to her these words of mine
ask for nothing here below
Save length of years and depth of wine
T^ao Cfiien
;
34
SIC
A
TRANSIT
tower a hundred feet erect
Looks round upon the scene which
'Tis here at
eve the clouds
At dawn a
Here
hills
and streams the observer
Some famous
The
collect,
trysting-place for birds.
Or boundless
Made
girds
prairie
hold,
mocks the eyes:
warriors of old
this their
bloody
battle-prize.
centuries of time roll on,
And
Mark
I,
firs
And
a traveller, passing there,
and cypresses
all
gone.
grave-mounds, high and low,
laid
bare.
35
The
ruined tombs uncared-for stand
Where do
their
wandering
spirits
—
hide?
-
Oh, glory makes us great and grand,
And
yet
it
has
its
seamy
side.
T^ao ChHen
36
ALONE
What do
these halls of jasper mean,
and shining
Where
floor,
tapestries of satin screen
window and door?
A
lady on a lonely seat,
embroidering
Fair flowers which
seem
to smell as sweet
as buds in spring.
Swallows
flit
past,
a zephyr shakes
the plum-blooms down-,
She draws the
blind,
a goblet takes
her thoughts to drown.
And now
she
sits in
tears, or
hums,
nursing her grief
37
That
in
her
life
joy rarely comes
to bring relief
Oh
for the
humble
turtle's flight,
my mate and
Not
I;
the lone crane far out of sight
beyond the sky!
Pao Chao, died A.D. 466
38
FORGOTTEN
To
learn the art of fencing, forth
I
wandered, with
my
I
saw an ancient
battle-plain
Engirt by
And
A
I
while
hills
I
which
master, north.
still
remain;
gazed upon the scene,
wide expanse of sky and green,
thought
Each
how
warrior's
like
a summer's day
name has passed away.
Chiang Yen^
A.D. 443—504
39
ANTICIPATION
If
''
home, with the wild geese of autumn,
we're going.
Our hearts
will
be
off ere the spring flowers
are blowing.
Anon, 6th
cent.
A.D.
40
ULTIMATE CAUSES
Trees grow, not
alike,
by the mound and the moat;
Birds sing in the forest
with varying note;
Of
the
fish
in the river
some dive and some
The mountains
rise
float.
high
and the waters sink low.
But the why and the wherefore
we never can know.
Hsiao Yen
A.D. 464— S49
41
IN
At
eve,
I
ABSENCE
stand upon the bank and gaze;
Restless,
I
know
not where
my
bark
may
rest;
I
I
I
autumn haze;
see the forest through the
see the
hills
of radiance
see the herdsman
I
homing
all
divest;
o'er the lea;
see the huntsman's laden horse
return
Alas, no loved one
I
sit
comes
to
beckon
me
and croon the thoughts that
in
!
—
me
burn.
Wang
yth
Chi^ 6th
cent.
and
A.D.
42
ICHABOD
Near these
islands
a palace was
built
by
a prince,
But
its
music and song have departed long
since;
The
hill-mists of
morning sweep down on
the halls,
At
night the red curtains
furled
lie
on the
walls.
The
clouds
the water their shadows
o'er
still
Things change
like the stars:
cast.
how few
autumns have passed
And
yet where
is
Where
that prince?
—
Save the plash of the stream
No
is
he?
reply.
rolling
ceaselessly by.
WangPo, A. D. 648—676
43
REGRETS
My
eyes saw not the
And now
I
weep
their
—
The heroes
men
of old;
age away has rolled
to think
I
shall not see
of posterity!
Ch^en Tzu-ang,
A. D.
656— 6g8.
;
44
AGAINST IDOLS
On
Self the Prophet^® never rests his eye,
His to relieve the
No
fairy palaces
Rewards
to
doom
of humankind;
beyond the sky,
come, are present to
And I have heard the
faith
Lauded as pure and
his mind.
by Buddha taught
free
from earthly
taint
Why
then these carved and graven
idols,
fraught
With gold and
silver,
gems, and jade,
and paint?
45
The heavens
that roof this earth, mountain
and
All that
is
dale,
great and grand shall pass
away;
And
if
the art of gods
may
not prevail.
Shall man's poor handiwork escape decay?
Fools that ye are! In
The
true faith fades
this
ignoble light
and passes out of sight.
C}i&n Tzu-ang
46
THE RETURN
Bowed down
with age
Unchanged
my
I
seek
speech,
my
my native place,
hair
is
silvered
now;
My
very children do not
know my
face,
But smiling ask, "O stranger, whence
art
thou?"
Ho
Chih-chang^ born
A. D. 6sg
;
47
A VISION
The
dust of the
morn had been
by a
laid
shower,
And
the trees by the bridge were
all
covered
with flower,
When
a white palfrey passed with a saddle
of gold.
And
a damsel as
fair
as the fairest of old.
But she veiled so discreetly her charms from
my
That the boy who was with her quite
for
And
my
felt
sighs
although not a light-o'-love reckoned,
I
It
eyes
was hard that
this vision
deem.
should pass like
a dream.
Sung Chih-wen^ died
A. D. yio
48
BY MOONLIGHT
Over the sea the round moon
And
floods the horizon with
rises bright,
its silver light.
In absence lovers grieve that nights should be,
But
I
all
blow
And
the livelong night
my lamp
I
think of thee.
out to enjoy this
rest,
shake the gathering dewdrop from
my
Alas
So
!
lay
I
vest.
cannot share with thee these beams,
me down
to seek thee in
Chang
my
dreams.
Chiu-ling,
A. D. dfs
— 740
g
:
49
WAITING
The sun has sunk behind
And
the western
hill,
darkness glides across the vale below;
Between the
firs
the
moon
and
shines cold
chill,
No
breezes whisper to the streamlet's flow.
Belated
woodsmen homeward hurry
past,
Birds seek their evening refuge in the tree
O my
beloved, wilt thou
With
lute,
among
come
the flowers,
at last?
I
wait for
thee.
Meng
Hao-jan^
A. D. 68
—
74.0
50
DREAMLAND
IN
The sun has
The
behind the western slope,
set
moon
eastern
mirrored in the
lies
pool;
With streaming
And
stretch
hair
my
my
balcony
I
ope,
limbs out to enjoy the
cool.
Loaded with
lotus-scent the breeze
Clear dripping drops from
sweeps by.
tall
bamboos
I
I
gaze upon
my
idle lute
and sigh:
Alas no sympathetic soul
And
Dear
so
I
hear,
is
near!
doze, the while before mine eyes
friends
of other days in dream-clad
forms
Meng
arise.
Hao-jan
51
AT ANCHOR
I
steer
my
boat to anchor
by the mist-clad
And mourn
river eyot,
the dying day that brings
nearer to
my
Across the woodland wild
I
me
fate.
see
the sky lean on the trees,
While
close to
hand the mirrored moon
floats
on the shining
Ming
seas.
Hao-jan
52
OUT OF OFFICE
For
my
betters
—
my
resigned
office
I
And
—
make way,
seek with the wine-cup to shorten the
day.
You
ask for the friends
who once thronged
in
Alas! with
my
my
hall:
place they have gone, one
and
Li
all.
Shih-chih^ died
A. D. 747
53
OVERLOOKED
Beneath the bamboo grove, alone,
I
seize
my
No ear to
No eye
lute
and
sit
and croon;
hear me, save mine own;
to see me, save the
moon.
Wang Wei
A. D. 6gg—75g
54
GOODBYE
We
"Good
parted at the gorge and cried
cheer!"
The sun was
setting as
Methought, the spring
I
will
closed
my
door;
come again next
year,
But he
may come no more.
Wang Wei
55
A RENCONTRE
Sir,
from
And
Oh
tell
my
all
its
me,
dear old
glories
—
home you come,
you can name;
has the winter-plum
Yet blossomed
o'er the window-frame?
Wang Wei
56
GOODBYE TO MENG HAO-JAN
Dismounted, o'er wine we had said our
last
say;
Then
I
whisper,
"Dear
friend, tell
me whither
away."
"Alas!" he replied,
"And
I
"I
am
sick of
life's ills
long for repose on the slumbering
hills.
"
But oh seek not to pierce where my footsteps
may
"The white clouds
will
soothe
me
stray:
for ever
and ay."
Wang Wei
"
57
HOME LONGINGS
Here a mortal once
sailed
up
to
heaven on
a crane,
And
the Yellow-Crane Kiosque will for ever
remain
But the bird flew away and
will
;
come back
no more,
Though
the white clouds are there as the
white clouds of yore.
Away
to the east lie fair forests of trees.
From
the flowers on the west comes a scent-
laden breeze,
Yet
my
eyes daily turn to their far-away
home.
Beyond the broad
River,
its
waves, and
its
Ts^ui
8th
cent.
foam.
Hao
A. D.
58
TO A FIREFLY
i«
Rain cannot quench thy lantern's
Wind makes
Oh why not
And twinkle
it
shine
fly to
more
heaven
near the
light,
brightly bright;
afar,
moon
—
a star?
Li Po
A. D. JOS
—
7<55.
;
59
AT PARTING
The
To
river rolls carystal as clear as the sky,
blend
far
away with the blue waves
of ocean
Man
alone,
when the hour
of departure
is
nigh,
With the wine cup can soothe
The
his emotion.
birds of the valley sing loud in the sun,
Where
the gibbons their vigils will shortly
be keeping;
I
thought that with tears
I
had long ago
done.
But now
I
shall
never cease weeping.
Li Po
6o
NIGHT THOUGHTS
I
my
wake, and moonbeams play around
bed,
Glittering like hoar-frost to
my
wondering
eyes;
Up
towards the glorious
moon
I
raise
my
head,
Then
lay
me
down,
—
and thoughts of
home
arise.
Li Po
;
6i
COMPANIONS
The
have
birds
all
flown to their roost
in
the tree,
The
last
cloud has just floated lazily by
But we never
As we
sit
tire
of each other, not we.
there together,
— the mountains
and
Li Po
I.
;
62
FROM A BELVIDERE
With yellow leaves the
A
young wife gazes
The sky
hill
is
strown,
o'er the scene,
with grey clouds overthrown,
While autumn swoops upon the green.
See, Tartar troops mass on the plain 4
Homeward
When
To
will
our envoy hurries on
her lord come back again?...
find her
youth and beauty gone!
Li Po
63
FOR HER HUSBAND
Homeward,
at dusk, the clanging rookery
wings
its
eager
Then, chattering on the branches,
flight;
all
are pairing for the night.
Plying her busy loom, a high-born
dame
And
is
sitting near,
through the silken window-screen
their voices strike her ear.
She
stops,
and thinks of the absent spouse
she
And
may
late in the lonely
never see again;
hours of night
her tears flow
down
like rain.
Li Po
64
"THE BEST OF LIFE
What
is
life
And why
after all
When
should such pother be made?
I
I
doze
I
BUT..."
but a dream?
Better far to be tipsy,
And
IS
all
deem,
I
day long
in the shade.
wake and look out on
the lawn,
hear midst the flowers a bird sing;
ask,
"Is
it
evening or dawn?"
The mango-bird
whistles,
"'Tis spring."
Overpower'd with the beautiful
Another
And would
full
sing
goblet
till
the
I
sight,
pour.
moon
rises bright
But soon I'm as drunk as before.
Li Po
—
;:
65
FAREWELL BY THE RIVER
The
breeze blows the willow-scent
While
Phyllis
in
from
the
dell,
with bumpers would fain
cheer us up
Dear
friends
press around
me
me
to bid
farewell
Goodbye
!
and goodbye
!
— and yet
one more cup
I
whisper,
I
....
Thou'lt see this great stream
flow
Ere
just
cease to love as
I
away
love thee today!
Li Po
66
GONE
At the
Yello-vSr-Crane
pagoda", where we
stopped to bid adieu,
The
mists
and flowers of April seemed
to wish
At
the Emerald
Isle,
good speed
your lessening
vanished from
And
left
me
my
to you.
sail
had
eye.
with the River, rolling onward
to the sky.
Li Po
67
NO INSPIRATION
The autumn
breeze
The autumn moon
The
blowing,
is
is
glowing,
falling leaves collect
The parson-crow
flies
but to disperse.
here and there
with ever restless feet;
I
think of you and wonder
when you and
Alas tonight
I
I
shall
much
meet
cannot pour
my
feelings
forth in verse!
Li Po
68
GENERAL HSIEH
I
anchor at the
Newchew
The autumn sky
And watch
And
the
this
is
her crescent
all
fill,
made renowned.
no ungraceful
He cannot hear the words I
And I must sail at break of day
And
still,
him by whom
shore was
Though mine
hill,
serene and
moon
vainly think on
AN^"
this while the
lay,
say.
maple leaves
are fluttering to the ground.
Li Po
;
69
A SNAP-SHOT
A
A
tortoise
I
see on a lotus-flower resting:
bird 'mid the reeds
and the rushes
is
nesting
A
light skiff propelled
by some boatman's
fair
Whose song
dies
away
daughter,
o'er the fast-flowing
water.
Li Po
70
A FAREWELL
Where
blue
cross the northern sky,
hills
Beyond the moat which
girds the town,
'Twas there we stopped to say Goodbye!
And
one white
Your heart was
For me,
To wave a
Voiced
—
full
my
last
for us
alone dropped down.
sail
of wandering thought;
sun had set indeed;
adieu
we
sought,
by each whinnying
steed!
Li Po
71
BOYHOOD FANCIES
gone by the moon appeared
In days
my
to
Some
^^
still
boyish eyes
bright jade plate or mirror from
the palace of the skies.
I
used to see the Old Man's legs
and Cassias
I
fair
as gods can
saw the White Hare pounding drugs,
and wondered who was there
Ah, how
I
And
longed for him
and
all
Then when
and
who
it
made,
slew the suns
the angels' fears allayed.
the days of waning came,
and scarce a
wept
to take them.
watched the eclipsing Toad,
and marked the ravages
I
make them,
to lose
silver streak
my
cruel grief
remained,
favourite thus,
my
eyelids stained.
Li Po
72
FROM THE PALACE
Cold dews of night the terrace crown,
And
soak
my
stockings and
I'll
The
And
my gown;
step behind
crystal blind,
watch the autumn moon sink down.
Li Po
73
THE POET
You ask what my soul does away in
I
inwardly smile but
I
the sky,
cannot reply;
Like the peach-blossom carried away by the
stream,
I
soar to a world of which you cannot dream.
Li Po
74
TEARS
A
fair girl
And
I
draws the blind aside
sadly
sits
with drooping head;
see her burning tear-drops glide
But know not why those tears are shed.
Li Po
;
75
A FAVOURITE
Oh
^^
the joy of youth spent in a gold-fretted
In the Crape-flower Pavilion, the fairest of
w
My
tresses for headdress with
gay garlands
girt,
>r|
Carnations arranged o'er
wander away
Then
to
And
return
all,
by the
my jacket and skirt!
in the soft-scented air,
side of his Majesty's
chair
But the dance and the song
will
be o'er
by and
And we
by,
shall dislimn like the rack in the
'-'
I
'%
sky.
Li Po
76
IN EXILE
I
33
drink deep draughts of Lan-ling wine
fragrant with borage made,
The
liquid
amber mantling up
in
My
host
insists
cups of costly jade.
on making
me
^
as drunk as any sot,
Until I'm quite oblivious
of the exile's wretched
lot.
Li Po
11
IN
My
A MIRROR
whitening hair would
make
a long long
rope,
Yet could not fathom
Though how
To
it
sprinkle
all
my depth of woe
comes within a mirror's scope
autumn
frosts, I
do not know.
Li Po
•,
78
LAST WORDS
An
^*
arbour of flowers
and a
kettle of wine:
Alas! in the bowers
no companion
Then
the
moon
mine.
sheds her rays
on
And my shadow
is
my
goblet and me,
betrays
we're a party of three!
Though
the
moon cannot swallow
her share of the grog,
And my shadow must
follow
wherever
Yet
their friendship
I
jog,
—
borrow
I'll
and gaily carouse,
And
laugh away sorrow
while spring-time allows.
79
See the moon,
—
how
she glances
response to
See
my
—
shadow,
it
my
song;
dances
so lightly along!
While sober
I
feel,
you are both
When
drunken
I
my good friends;
reel,
our companionship ends.
But
we'll
soon have a greeting
without a goodbye.
At our next merry meeting
away
in the sky.
Li Po
8o
IN
White gleam the
ABSENCE
gulls across the darkling
tide,
On
the green
hills
the red flowers seem
to burn;
Alas
!
I
When
see another spring has died
will
it
come
—
the day of
my
return
Tu Fu
A. D. yi2
?
—jjo.
;!
8i
WINE
The
setting sun shines
low upon
Ere dusk enwraps the
my
door
river fringed with
spring
Sweet perfumes
rise
from gardens by the
shore,
And smoke, where
crews their boats to
anchor bring.
Now
twittering birds
are
roosting in the
bower.
And
O
flying insects
fill
who gave
to
wine,
the air around...
thee
thy
subtle
power?
A
thousand cares
in
—
one small goblet
drowned
Tu Fu
6
82
TO HIS BROTHER
The evening drum has emptied every
One autumn goose screams on
its
street,
frontier
flight,
The
crystal
The moon
The
dew
is
glittering at
my
feet.
sheds, as of old, her silvery light.
brothers,
—
ah,
where are they?
Scattered each;
No home whence
one might learn the
other's harms.
Letters have oft miscarried
Now when
:
shall they reach
the land rings with the clash
of arms?
Tu Fu
;
83
HOME JOYS
My home
And
is
girdled
there in
by a limpid stream,
summer days
life's
movements pause,
Save where some swallow
flits
from beam
to
And
beam,
the wild sea-gull near and nearer
draws.
The goodwife
The
My
rules
a paper board
for chess
children beat a fish-hook out of wire;
ailments call for physic
What
else should this
more or
less.
poor frame of
mine require?
Tu Fu
84
SSIJ-MA
HSIANG-JU^^
'Twas here, from sickness sore oppressed,
He
found
relief
on Wen-chiin's breast;
'Twas here the vulgar tavern lay
On mountain cloud-capped
And still mid flowers and
Her
fluttering robe, her
night and day.
leaves
I
tender face;
But ah! the phoenix
calls in vain.
Such mate
be seen again.
shall not
trace
Tu Fu
85
THE HERMIT
Alone
I
wandered
o'er the hills
to seek the hermit's den,
While sounds of chopping rang around
the forest's leafy glen.
I
passed on ice across the brook
which had not ceased to
As
freeze,
the slanting rays of afternoon
shot sparkling through the trees.
I
found he did not joy to gloat
o'er fetid wealth
But
far
from
taint,
in the
My
mind was
night.
to watch the deer
golden morning light
clear at coming;
but
And
by
rudderless
now
my
is
I've lost
little
my
guide,
bark
drifting with the tide
^^
!
Tu Fu
;
86
SUPERSEDED
Alas
hN
^7
grows
for the lonely plant that
beside the river bed,
While the mango-bird screams loud and long
14,
from the
tall
tree overhead
Full with the freshets of the spring,
%^
The
the torrenf rushes on
ferry-boat swings idly, for
the ferryman
is
gone.
Tu Fu
!
87
SOLO CHI SEGUE CIO CHE PIACE
E SAGGIO
A
petal falls!
And my
— the spring begins
to
fail,
heart saddens with the growing
gale.
Come
then, ere
autumn
spoils bestrew the
ground,
Do
not forget to pass the wine-cup round.
Kingfishers build where
man once laughed
elate,
And now
stone dragons guard his graveyard
gate!
Who
Why
follows pleasure, he alone
waste our
life in
is
wise;
deeds of high emprise?
Tu Fu
88
DUM
From
RES ET AETAS
the court every eve to the pawnshop
pass,
I
To come back
from the river the drunkest
of men;
As
often as not I'm in debt for my glass
;
—
Well, few of us live to be threescore
and
The
butterfly flutters
The
ten.
from flower to flower.
dragon-fly sips and springs lightly
away.
Each
So
creature
let
is
merry
its
brief
us enjoy our short
little
life
hour.
while
we
may.
Tu
.Fu
89
A
The sun
And
is
PICNIC
setting as
we
loose the boat,
lightly o'er the breeze-swept waters
float.
We
seek a corner where the
And
Here
fragrant
lilies
bamboo grows,
offer cool repose.
well-iced draughts of wine the
men
prepare.
With
lotus shredded fine
by
fingers fair
But now a black cloud gathering
Warns me
to finish off
my
in the
sky
verse and
fly.
Tu Fu
90
THE PRESSGANG
There, where at eve
A
I
sought a bed,
pressgang came, recruits to hunt;
Over the
And
wall the
left
goodman
his wife to
sped.
bear the brunt.
Ah me! the cruel Serjeant's rage!
Ah me! how sadly she anon
Told
all
How
How
her story's mournful page,
—
three sons to the war had gone;
one had sent a
That two had been
He, from the
fight
line
to say
in battle slain:
had run away,
But they could ne'er come back again.
91
She swore
'twas
all
the family
—
Except a grandson at the breast;
His mother too was there, but she
Was
all
The crone
But
To
in
rags and tatters drest.
with age was troubled sore.
for herself she'd not think twice
journey to the seat of war
And
The
help to cook the soldiers'
rice.
night wore on and stopped her talk;
Then sobs upon my hearing
At dawn when
I
fell
set forth to walk,
Only the goodman cried Farewell!
Tu Fu
92
DHYANA^«
The
clear
The
rising sun tips its tall trees with gold,
dawn creeps
into the convent old,
—
As, darkly, by a winding path
I
Dhyana's
and beech.
hall,
Around these
hidden midst
hills
fir
reach
sweet birds their pleasure
take,
Man's heart as
free
from shadqws as
this
lake;
Here worldly sounds are hushed, as by a
spell.
Save
for the
booming of the
altar bell.
Cfiang ChHen
8th
cent.
A.D.
;
93
IN
It
THE HAREM
was the time of
flowers, the gate
was
closed
Within an arbour's shade
fair girls
But though their hearts were
full,
reposed.
they
nothing said.
Fearing the
tell-tale
parrot overhead.
Chu
CJiing-yii
94
OH STAY
We
shall meet, I believe you, again;
Yet
to part!
Shall friendship
What
— such a
beautiful night
and wine ask
in
vain
a head- wind would take as
Ssit-k'^ung
8th
its right?
Shu
cent.
A.D.
95
SPRING SORROWS
The
willow sprays are yellow fringed,
the grass
Peach-blooms
in
is
gaily green;
wild confusion
with the perfumed plum are seen;
The
eastern breeze sweeps past me,
yet
And
my
sorrows never go.
the lengthening days of spring to
mean lengthening days
me
of woe.
Chia Chih
A.D. 718
— 772
96
SPRING JOYS
When
freshets cease in early spring
and the
I
take
my
staff
river dwindles low,
and wander
by the banks where wild flowers grow.
I
watch the willow-catkins
wildly whirled
I
watch the
falling
on every
side;
peach-bloom
lightly floating
down
the
tide.
Wei Ying-wu
8th
cent.
A.D.
97
REMEMBRANCES
In autumn,
I
stroll,
When
when
the nights are
chill,
and croon, and think of
thee.
dropping pine-cones strew the
hill.
Say, hast thou waking dreams of
me?
Wei Ying-wu
:
98
A PROMISE
Sweet flowers were blooming
when your
And now
all
last farewell
around
you
said,
the opening buds proclaim
another year has
fled.
prophesy
'Tis difficult to
beyond the present day,
And
the remedy for trouble
is
I
suffer
much
in
to sleep
it
all
away.
body,
and
I
long for the old spot.
But cannot bring myself
in
pensioned
idleness to rot.
You
say that you
that
'Twixt
will visit
you are coming soon
now and then how
shall
me,
I
often
see the full-orbed
moon?
Wei Ying-wu
99
BUDDHISM
A
shrine,
whose eaves
in far-off
cloudland
hide:
I
mount, and with the sun stand side by
side.
The
And
air is clear;
I
see wide forests spread
mist-crowned heights where Kings of
old
Scarce o'er
lie
dead.
my threshold peeps the Southern
Hill;
The Wei
my window
shrinks through
a
O
thou Pure Faith, had
but
I
to
rill
known thy
scope.
The Golden God had long
since been
my
hope!
Tsan
8th cent. A.D.
Ts'^n
;
lOO
A REASON FAIR
'Tis night: the grape-juice mantles high
in
We
set to drink,
cups of gold galore;
—
but
now
the bugle
sounds to horse once more.
Oh
marvel not
How
few of
if
drunken
we
lie
all
who seek
strewed about the plain
shall e'er
the fight
come back
again!
Wang Han
8th
cent.
A.D.
lOI
LONELY
The evening sun
slants o'er the village
street;
My
griefs alas! in solitude are borne;
Along the road no wayfarers
I
meet,
Naught but the autumn breeze
—
across
the corn.
K^ng Wei
8th cent. A.D.
I02
THE WASHERWOMAN'S GRAVE
—
thousand years ago, —
The hero
ne'er forgot the
My
a
And
tale is of
every
^'
meal she gave,
woodsman knows
the time-worn
grave,
Though naught remains of dynasties save
the river's ceaseless flow.
With votive
The
flower the traveller
while the grief-bird
trills
his
is
seen.
mournful
lays;
Around, the grass of spring grows wildly
green
Where
footprints
of the "nobleman"
were
left
in
bygone
days.
Liu Ctiang-cfking
8th
cent.
A.D.
I03
AT DAWN
Drive the young orioles away,
Nor
let
them on the branches
Their chirping breaks
And
keeps
me
from
play;
my slumber through
my dreams of you.
Ka
Chia-yun
8th
cent.
A.D.
I04
NOSTALGIA
'Tis
autumn, and
watch the streams
I
Which towards my dear home
I
span the distance
And wake
I
in
But solace seek
my
care.
in wine,
think of friends
When
dreams,
to deeper woe.
cannot read to ease
And
my
flow;
all
will that lot
gathered there
—
be mine?
Chang Wei
8th
cent.
A.D.
I05
AT THE WARS
See the young wife whose bosom ne'er
has ached with cruel pain!
In
—
gay array she mounts the tower
when
spring comes round again.
Sudden she sees the
their
And
willow-trees
newest green put on,
sighs for her husband far
in
away
search of glory gone.
Wang
8th
Ch%ng-ling
cent.
A.D.
,
io6
A MESSAGE
Onwards tonight my storm-beat course
I
steer,
At dawn
these mountains will for ever
fade;
Should those
I
leave
behind enquire
my
cheer
Tell them, "an icy heart in vase of jade."
Wang
Cliang-ling
I07
A GROTTO
Deep
in
a darksome grove their Grotto
And deep
the thoughts that
now
lies,
within
me
rise.
Fronting the door the South Hill looming
near,
The
forest mirrored in the river clear,
The bamboo bends beneath
last winter's
snow,
The
court-yard darkens ere the day sinks
low.
I
seem
And
sit
to pass
and
beyond
listen to
this
world of
clay,
the spring-bird's lay.
Tsu Yung
8th
cent.
A.D.
;
io8
A RETROSPECT
Oh
this
day
last
year what a party were we
Pink cheeks and pink peach-blossoms smiled
upon me
But alas the pink cheeks are now
far far
away,
Though
the peach-blossoms smile as they
smiled on that day.
Tsui
8th or gth
Hu
cent.
A.D.
I09
HOPE
Last eve thou wert a bride,
This morn thy dream
is
o'er
Cast not thy rouge aside,
He may
be thine once more.
Ch'^ican
T^-yu
A.D. 75g—8i8
;
no
THE WOUNDED FALCON
Within a ditch beyond
I
my
saw a falcon headlong
wall
fall.
Bedaubed with mud and racked with
beat
It
wings to
its
in vain
rise,
While
little
Eager
to break the wretch's bones.
O
bird,
boys threw
methinks thy
Hath amply
pain,
tiles
life
and
stones.
of late
justified this fate!
Thy
sole delight to kill
And
then exultingly to wheel,
Now
Now
sailing in the clear blue sky.
and
steal,
on the wild gale sweeping by.
Scorning thy kind of less degree
As
all
unfit to
mate with
thee.
But mark how fortune's wheel goes round;
Ill
A
on the ground,
pellet lays thee
Sore stricken at some
And where
What's
To
I
is
—
vital part,
then thy pride of heart?
this to
me?
—
I
could not bear
see the fallen one lying there.
begged
its
life,
and from the brook
Water
to
Fed
with bits of
At
it
wash
its
wounds
fish
I
took.
by day.
night from foxes kept away.
My
care
For
gratitude, that
And
Till
And
knew would naught
I
empty
avail
tale.
so this bird would crouch and hide
want
stimulus applied;
its
with no reward to hope.
I,
Allowed
its
callousness
full
scope.
Last eve the bird showed signs of rage.
With health renewed, and beat
Today
And
cage.
forced a passage through,
it
took
Good
its
its
leave, without adieu.
luck hath saved thee, not desert;
112
Beware,
O
Beware the
bird, of further hurt;
archer's deadly tools!
—
'Tis
hard to escape the shafts of
Nor
e'er forget the chastening ditch
That found thee poor, and
left
thee
fools
rich.
—
^
Han Yu
A.D. 768—824
113
HOURS OF IDLENESS
A
little
lake of mine
I
know,
Where waving weeds and
And
in its
rushes grow,
depths by day and night
The water-monsters swarm and
Ah, how
But now
To
pass
And
A
loved to idle there!
I
I
fight.
can no longer bear
my
days
sweet spot.
in that
lost in meditation rot.
sense of duty gives
Obedient to
my
Master's
Our span of
life
To
hours
waste
its
me
is
all
in
^^
pause.
laws;
too short
empty
sport.
Han Yu
;
114
IN
CAMP
Across the steppes the
bitter north
winds
roam,
At dawn
the Tartar
moon
shines cold and
bright
My
soul relapses into dreams of
Till
the loud rappel
summons
home,
to the fight.
Han
Yii
115
MEDITATIONS
The
leaves
And
now, responsive to the breeze.
fall
fluttering
from the
trees,
Rustling with weird uncanny sound.
Are dancing
On my
And
sit
I
in silence
servant glides into the
And
He
He
lone hall the dusk has
there
My
merrily around.
come
dumb.
room
with a lamp dispels the gloom.
speaks;
I
give him no reply.
proffers food; in vain.
Move
And
Then
I
to escape his wondering looks
seek a refuge
Alas, the
in
my
books.
men who charm me
so
Perished a thousand years ago!
And
while
I
muse
o'er
human
fate
ii6
My
heart grows less and less elate
"O
boy, whose eyes stare from your head,
"Put up those books and get to bed,
"And
"Of
leave
endless,
me
to the dreary naught
overwhelming thought."
Han Vu
117
DISCONTENT
To
stand upon the river-bank
and snare the purple
My
net well cast across the stream,
was
Or
fish,
lie
that
all
I
could wish.
concealed and shoot the geese
that scream
And pay my
rent
and pass apace.
and taxes with
the profits of the chase.
Then home
and happiness,
to peace
with wife and children gay,
Though
clothes be coarse
•
But now
I
fare
be hard,
and earned from day
to day.
read and read, scarce knowing
what
And
and
'tis
eager to improve
I
wear
all
about,
my mind
my body out.
ii8
I
draw a snake and give
it
legs,
to find I've wasted
And my
as
I
grows
hair
I
daily whiter
hurry towards the
hill.
^^
amid the sorrows
sit
I
And
have brought, on
my own
find myself estranged fi-om
among
I
skill,
seek to drown
head,
all,
the living dead.
my
in wine,
consciousness
alas! in vain:
Oblivion passes quickly
and
my
griefs'
begin again.
Old age comes on and yet withholds
the
So
I'll
summons
to depart
take another bumper
just to ease
my
aching heart.
Han Yu
119
HUMANITY
Oh
spare the busy morning
fly!
Spare the mosquitos of the night!
And
if
their
wicked trade they ply
Let a partition stop
Their span
is
brief
their flight.
from birth to death;
Like you they bite their
And
little
day;
then, with autumn's earliest breath,
Like you too they are swept away.
Han Yu
I20
NEAERA'S TANGLES
With
flowers on the ground like embroidery
spread,
At
twenty, the soft glow of wine in
My
my head,
white courser's bit-tassels motionless
gleam
«
While the gold-threaded willow scent sweeps
o'er the stream.
Yet
until she
has smiled
all
these flowers
no ray,
yield
When
her tresses
fall
down, the whole
landscape
My
hand on her sleeve as
I
gaze
gay;
is
her
in
eyes,
A
kingfisher hairpin^' will soon
be
my prize.
Li Ho
gtk
cent.
A.D.
121
SUMMER DYING
Whence comes
the autumn's whistling blast,
With
flocks of wild geese hurrying past?
Alas,
when wintry breezes
The
lonely traveller hears
burst.
them
Liu
first!
Yii-hsi
A.D. 772
— 842
122
THE ODALISQUE
A
gaily dressed
damsel steps
forth
from
her bower,
Bewailing the fate that forbids her to roam;
In the courtyard she counts up the buds on
each flower, ^
While a dragon-fly
flutters
and
sits
on
her comb.
Liu
Yii-hsi
123
DESERTED
Soaked
is
her kerchief through with tears,
yet slumber will not come-,
In the deep
dead of night she hears
the song and beat of drum.
^^
Alas, although his love has gone,
her beauty lingers yet;
Sadly she
sits till
early dawn,
but never can forget.
Po
Chu-i
A.D. 772—846
124
AT AN OLD PALACE
Deserted
now
the Imperial bowers
Save by some few poor lonely flowers
One
An
Sits
white-haired dame,
Emperor's flame,
down and
tells
of bygone hours.
Yiian
CMn
A.D. 779—831
125
A CAST-OFF FAVOURITE
The dewdrops gleam on
bright spring flowers
whose scent
is
borne along;
Beneath the moon the palace rings
with sounds of lute and song.
It
seems that the clepsydra^®
has been
To make
filled
up with the
sea,
the long long night appear
an endless night to me!
Li I
died A.D. 827
126
AT A GRAVE
An
old
man
lays to rest a much-loved
son
By day and
night his tears of blood
will
run,
Albeit
when
threescore years and ten have
fled,
'Tis not
a long farewell that he has
said.
Ku 'K'^uang
8th and gth
cent.
A.D.
!
127
THE CHASTE WIFE'S REPLY
Knowing,
Two
And
I
fair sir,
matrimonial
thrall,
pearls thou sentest me, costly withal.
I,
Love thy heart possessed,
seeing that
wrapped them
For mine
My
my
is
coldly in
"The
silken vest.
a household of high degree.
husband captain
And one
my
in
the King's army;
with wit like thine should say,
troth of wives
With thy two
pearls
is
I
for ever
and ay."
send thee back
two
Tears
—
that
we
tears:
did not meet in earlier
years
Chang Chi
8th and gth cent. A.D.
128
TASTE
The landscape which
is
When
the poet loves
that of early
May,
budding greenness half concealed
enwraps each willow spray.
That
beautiful embroidery
the days of
summer
yield,*
Appeals to every bumpkin
who may take
his
Vang
walks
afield.
Chu-yiian
8th and gtk
cent.
A.D.
;
129
A LOST LOVE
Too
late,
alas
I
!
came
37
to find
the lovely spring had
Yet must
I
fled.
not regret the days
of youth that
now
are dead
For though the rosy buds of spring
the cruel witids have
Behold the clustering
fruit
laid,
that hangs
beneath the leafy shade!
Tu
Mu
A.D. 803—852
I30
THE OLD PLACE
A
wilderness alone remains,
all
The
river runs
garden glories gone;
unheeded by,
weeds grow unheeded
Dusk comes,
on.
the east wind blows, and birds
pipe forth a mournful sound;
Petals, like
nymphs from
balconies,
come tumbling
to the ground.
Tu
Mu
;
131
THE LAST NIGHT
Old love would seem as though not love
today
Spell-bound by thee,
my laughter dies away.
The very wax sheds sympathetic
tears
And
appears.
gutters sadly
down
till
dawn
Tu
Mu
132
LOVERS PARTED
Across the screen the autumn
moon
stares coldly from the sky;
With
silken fan
I
the
sit
and
flick
fireflies sailing
by.
The" night grows colder every hour,
it
To
chills
me
—
to the heart
watch the Spinning Maiden
from the Herdboy
far apart.
Tu
Mu
^
133
THE NIGHT COMES
'Tis evening,
At
the old
and
mount
The
I
slacken rein:
glorious day
Fades
And naught
in restless vein
fast
away
but twilight glooms remain!
Li Shang-yin
A.D. 813—858
134
SOUVENIRS
You ask when
I'm coming:
alas,
not just
yet
How
the rain
filled
the pools on that night
when we met!
Ah, when
And
shall
recall the
we ever
snufF candles again.
glad hours of that evening
of rain?
Li Shang-yin
135
A SPRING FEAST
The paddy
crops are waxing rich
upon the Goose- Lake
The
fowls have just
now gone
to roost,
the grunting pigs are
The mulberry
still;
casts a lengthening shade,
the festival
And
hill;
is
—
o'er,
tipsy revellers are helped
each to his cottage door.
Chang Yen
gth
cent.
A.D.
136
ESCAPE
Confusion overwhelming me,
as in a drunken dream,
I
note that spring has fled
and wander
With a
off to hill
and stream
friendly Buddhist priest
a respite from the
•,
seek
I
strife
Arid manifold anomalies
which go to make up
life.
Li
gth
SM
cent.
A.D.
137
ON HIGHWAYMEN^"
The
rainy mist sweeps gently
o'er the village
When
by the stream,
from the leafy forest glades
the brigand daggers gleam
And
yet there
is
no need to fear
or step from out their way,
For more than
half the world consists
of bigger rogues than they!
Li She
138
A STORM
No
rain,
Rain
and lovely flowers bloom around;
falls,
and battered petals strew the
ground.
The
To
bees and butterflies
flit,
seek the spring beyond
one and
my
all,
neighbour's
wall.
Wang
gth
cent.
Chia
A.D.
,
139
SUMMER BEGINS
What time the bamboo
When
When
birds
fill
casts a deeper shade,
up the afternoon with song
catkins vanish,
and when pear-blooms
fade,
Then man
is
weary and the day
is
—
long.
Chu Sku-chtn^
gth
cent.
A.D.
!
140
LOVE'S SPRINGTIME
Twin blossoms blooming on
a single flower!
Then comes
the jealous storm
with shattering sound.
Oh
could
we always
feel the
Spring-God's power,
No
petals scattered on the
moss-grown
ground
Chu Shu-chen
141
WHERE ARE THEY?
Alone
I
mount
to the kiosque which stands
on the river-bank, and
sigh,
While the moonbeams dance on the tops
of the waves
where the waters touch the sky;
For the lovely scene
is
to last year's scene
as like as like can be.
All but the friends, the much-loved friends,
who gazed
at the
moon
with me.
Chao Chia
gth
cent.
A.D.
142
NEW
Here
We
AN INN
YEAR'S EVE AT
in this inn
no friend
my lamp
nigh;
is
and
sit
alone,
A
thousand miles from love and smiles,
I,
To
see another year pass by.
Ah
me, that ever
Is life
worth
I
was born!
living, thus forlorn?
Youth, beauty, pass; and yet alas
It will
be spring tomorrow morn.
Tai Shu-lun
gth
cent.
A.D.
143
SPRETyE INJURIA
See!
fair
girls
FORM^
are flocking, through
corridors bright,
With music and mirth borne along on
the breeze
Come,
tell
me
if
she
who
is
favoured
tonight
Has eyebrows much
longer than these?
Huang-fu yen
gth
cent.
A.D.
!
144
MUSING
At
eve, along the river bank,
The mist-crowned
To
think
Has
how
floated
all
wavelets lure
me on
antiquity
down
the stream and gone
Hsieh Jung
gth
cent.
A.D.
145
UT MELIUS
In youth
I
went to study
at
And
its
Tag"
living fountain-head,
then lay tipsy half the day
upon a gilded bed.
"What oaf
is
Master
this," the
"content with
And bade me
cried,
human
to the world get
and
call
lot?"
back
myself a Sot.
But wherefore seek immortal
life
by means of wondrous
Noise
is
not in the market-place,
nor quiet on the
The
pills?
hills.
secret of perpetual youth
is
already
known
to
me:
Accept with philosophic calm
whatever fate
may
Ma
gtk
be.
Tsu-jan
cent.
A.D.
146
MY NEIGHBOUR
When the Bear athwart was lying
And the night was just on dying,
And the moon was all but gone,
How my thoughts did ramble on!
Then a sound of music breaks
From a
And
I
lute that
know
that
The sweet maid
And
some one wakes,
it
she,
next door to me.
as the strains steal o'er
Her moth-eyebrows*^
And
is
I
feel
That her
a gentle
fingers
rise
me
before me.
thrill
must be
chill.
147
But doors and locks between us
So
effectually screen us
That
I
And
in
hasten from the street
dreamland pray to meet.
Hsii An-chen
148
THE SEMPSTRESS
and
In silk
My
fate to
satin ne'er arrayed,
be a lone old maid;
No handsome
Dressed
I
bridegroom comes
in the
Yet
I
not to paint
must ply
me
garb of poverty.
learned to sew with
Though
for
my
skill
my
and grace,
brows and
face.
golden thread
For other maids about
to wed.
Ctiin T'ao-yii
8th or gtk
cent.
A.D.
149
THE TRAVELLER
The stream
glides by, the flower fades,
and neither
feels
a sting
That thus they pass and bear away
the glory of the spring.
I
dream myself once more at home,
a thousand miles away;
The
night-jar
wakes me with
ere yet
'tis
its
cry
early day.
Long months have passed and no word comes
me
to tell
of
With each New Year my
my own;
scattered locks
have white and whiter grown,
Ah my
-dear
home,
if
once within
thy threshold
The Five Lakes and
might
all
I
could be.
their lovely scenes
go hang
8th or gth
for
cent.
me.
A.D.
15°
GOLDEN SANDS
I
would not have thee grudge those robes
which gleam
But
I
in rich array,
would have thee grudge the hours
of youth which glide away.
Go
pluck the blooming flower betimes,^
lest
when thou com'st again
Alas, upon the withered stem
no blooming flowers remain!
'
Tu ChHn-niang^^
8th or gth
cent.
A.D.
151
WANDERJAHRE
Roused from the fumes of wine,
hear
I
the drum,
Midst thoughts of home,
roll
from the
distant tower.
While through the
trees faint streaks of
daylight come,
And
the spring passes in a pattering
shower.
The
tired bird
homeward wings
its
way
at last;
Flowers fade and die beneath wild winds
oppressed.
What have my
wanderings earned these
ten years past ?
My wayworn horse is sick of east and west.
Li Cfiang-fu
8th or gth
cent.
A.D.
152
MUSIC HATH CHARMS
Hark
to the rapturous
Her white arm
To
melody!
o'er the lute she flings
break her lover's reverie
She
strikes
a discord on the
strings.
Li Tuan
8th or gth
cent.
A.D.
153
IN
He
RETIREMENT
envies none, the pure and proud
ex-Minister of State;
On
the Western
Lake he
within his
He
shuts himself
bamboo
gate.
needs no fan to cool his brow,
for
the south wind never
While
lulls.
idly his official hat lies
staring at the gulls.
Li Chia-yu
8th or gth
cent.
A.D.
;
154
THE SPINSTER
Dim
twilight throws a deeper shade
across the window-screen;
Alone within a gilded
hall
her tear-drops flow unseen.
No
sound the lonely court-yard
the spring
Around
is all
stirs;
but through
the pear-blooms fade and
fall
and no one comes
to woo.
Liu Fang-pHng
8th or gth
cent.
A.D.
!
155
THOUGHTS BY MOONLIGHT
Bright in the void the mirror moon**
appears,
To
the hushed music of the heavenly
spheres,
Full orbed, while
autumn wealth beneath
her
On
her eternal journey through the skies.
Oh may we
Nor
lies.
ever walk within the light
lose the true path in the eclipse of night
Oh let us mount where rays
And purge our grossness in
of glory
beam
the Silver
Stream
*^
!
Chi P'o
8th or gth
cent.
A.D.
156
CONTEMPLATION
When my
court-yard
by the
moon
placid
is
When
around
me
leaves
come dropping
from the
On
the terrace steps, contemplative,
The
lit,
swing-ropes swaying idly
trees,
I
sit,
the
in
breeze.
Han Wu
8th or gth
cent.
A.D.
!
157
VIEW FROM AN OLD TOWER
The
story of a thousand years
In one brief morning
Though
'Tis
lies
unrolled;
other voices greet the ears,
still
the moonlit tower of old.
The heroes
of those thousand years?
Alas! like running water, gone;
Yet
still
And
the fever-blast one hears,
still
the plum-rain patters on.
'Twas here ambition marched sublime
An empty
Away
To
—
fame scarce marks the spot;
for I will
see flowers
never climb
bloom and man
forgot.
Anon
8th and gth
cent.
A.D.
158
HOMEWARD
No
letters to
The
I
winter softens into spring
tremble as
And
the frontier come,
I
draw near home,
dare not ask what news you bring.
Li Pin
cent.
A.D.
159
AN OATH
They swore
the
Huns should
they would die
And now
five
lie
their
the Tartar dust.
bit
Along the river-bank
still
needs they must
thousand, sable-clad,
have
But
if
perish:
their
scattered
forms
in
bones
where they may,
dreams
arise
to fair ones far away.
Ch^tn
gth and loth
Tao
cent.
A.D.
i6o
TO AN ABSENT FAIR ONE
After parting, dreams possessed
and
And we
I
me
wandered you know where,
sat in the
verandah
and you sang the sweet old
.
Then
I
woke, with no one near
save the
And
lighting
which
moon
up dead
like
still
air.
me
shining on,
petals
you have passed and gone.
Chang Pi
loth
cent.
A.D.
i6i
DISILLUSIONED
For ten long years
I
plodded through
the vale of lust and
Then through my dreams
there flashed a ray
of the old sweet peaceful
No
strife,
life
scarlet-tasselled hat of state
can vie with soft repose;
Grand mansions do not
taste the joys
that the poor man's cabin knows.
I
hate the threatening clash of arms
when
I
fierce retainers throng,
and
loathe the drunkard's revels
the sound of
But
I
and song;
love to seek a quiet nook, and
some
Where
fife
I
volume bring
old
can see the wild flowers bloom
and hear the
birds in spring.
Po
loth cent. A.D.
Cli^&n
—
l62
'TWIXT HEAVEN
Upon
My
I
this tall
*«
pagoda's peak
hands can nigh the
dare not raise
For
AND EARTH
my
stars enclose-,
voice to speak,
fear of startling
God's repose.
Yang I
A.D.
5>7^
10 so
i63
CONSOLATION
The balmy
breath of spring must
fail
to reach that distant spot
Where
do not bloom
early wild-flowers
to cheer
my
See how the oranges
exile's lot.
still
hang
amid the clinging snow,
And
benumbed by
shoots and buds,
cold,
around reluctant grow!
At
night your heart
with your
is
when you hear
And
home
the wild goose cry.
your sadness ever deepens
as the smiling months
go
by.
Yet when you think of happy hours
at
Loyang
in the past.
Grieve not that spring
that spring
is
is
late,
but joy
yours at
last.
Ou-yang Hsiu
A.D. 1007
— 1072
;
164
A STRUGGLE
Fair flowers from above in
my
goblet are
shining,
And add by
reflection
an
Through two generations
infinite zest;
I've lived,
unrepining.
While four mighty
rulers
have sunk
to
their rest.
My
body
in
health has done nothing to
spite
And
me,
sweet are the moments which pass
o'er
But now, with
this
my
head
wine and these flowers
to delight me,
How
shall I
keep sober and get home
to bed?
Shao Yung
A.D.
ion — 1072
i65
WAITING
'Tis the festival of
Yellow Plums!
the rain unceasing pours,
And -^croaking
bullfrogs hoarsely
wake
the echoes out of doors.
I
sit
and wait
for
him
in vain,
while midnight hours go by,
And push
about the chessmen
till
the lamp- wick sinks to die.
,
Ssu-ma
Kuang
A.D. loig
— 1086
1
66
ANNUAL WORSHIP AT TOMBS
The peach and plum
this
And
trees smile with flowers
famous day of spring,
country graveyards round about
with lamentations ring.
Thunder has
startled insect
life
and roused the gnats and bees,
A
gentle rain has urged the crops
and soothed the flowers and
Perhaps on
On
whom
—
bones
this side lie the
of a wretch
trees
no one knows;
that, the sacred ashes
of a patriot repose.
But who across the centuries
can hope to mark each spot
Where
fool or hero, joined in death,
beneath the brambles rot?
Huang
T^ing-chien
A.D. 1050
— mo
1
!
i67
A WHITE NIGHT
The
incense-stick
is
burnt to ash,
the water-clock
The midnight breeze blows
and
Yet
I
am
all
around
is
stilled,
sharply by
is
chilled.
kept from slumber
by the beauty of the spring
:
Sweet shapes of flowers across the blind
the quivering
moonbeams
Wang
fling
An-shih
A.D. 1 02
— 1086
i68
INSOUCIANCE
I
wander north,
I
wander
I
rest
south,
me where
I
please
See how the river-banks are nipped
beneath the autumn breeze!
Yet what care
I
if
autumn
blasts
the riv.er-banks lay bare?
The
loss of
hue to river-banks
is
the river-banks'
affair.
CK'eng
A.D. 1032
Hao
— 1085
169
SPRING FANCIES
When
clouds are thin, and the wind
is light,
about the noontide hour,
I
cross the stream, through willow paths
with
all
around
in flower.
The world knows not my inmost thoughts
which make
me seem
a fool;
I'm taken for a truant boy
escaped from tedious school.
Ch^eng
Hao
;
170
SPRING NIGHTS
One
half-hour of a night in spring
is
When
worth a thousand
the clear sweet scent of flowers
and the moon her
When
taels,
is felt
lustre pales
mellowed sounds of song and
flute
are borne along the breeze,
And
through the
stilly
scene the swing
sounds swishing from the
Su Skih
A.D. 1036
trees.
— zioi
171
WHIGS AND
TORIES*^
Thickly o'er the jasper terrace
flower shadows play;
In vain
I
call
my
garden boy
to
sweep them
They vanish when the sun
spring to giddy
life
away.
sets
in the west,
They
all
but very soon
again
beneath the rising moon!
Su Shih
172
SWINGING
Two
green
silk ropes,
with painted stand,
from heights
And
*«
aerial swing.
there outside the house a maid
disports herself in spring.
Along the ground her blood-red
all
As though
skirts
swiftly swishing fly.
to bear her off to be
an angel
Strewed thick with
in
the sky.
fluttering
almond-blooms
the painted stand
The embroidered
ropes
to
flit
is
seen;
and
fro
amid the willow green.
Then when she
stops and out she springs
to stand with
You
think she is
just
downcast eyes.
some angel
now banished from
Hung
nth and
the skies.
Chueh-fan
12th
cent.
A.D.
,
173
SUMMER
When
ducklings seek the puddles, mostly
dry,
In the hot plum-time, ,with
'Tis
And
then
in
its
changeful sky,
shady artdur we carouse,
strip the
-/(m t't-J^ t
golden loquat from the
-^^^"^
boughs.
Tai Fu-ku
J 2th
and 13th
cent.
A.D.
174
AT A PARK GATE
'Tis closed
!
—
lest
trampling footsteps mar
the glory of the green.
Time
after time
we knock and knock;
no janitor
Yet
bolts
is
seen.
and bars can't quite shut
in
the spring-time's beauteous pall:
A
pink-flowered almond-spray peeps out
athwart the envious wall!
Yeh Shih
A.D.
1 1 so
— I22S
175
A MOUNTAIN BROOK
my
One draught
for
Unconscious
river,
To
noetic soul
ere thou
I
take,
sflid'st
away
serve the orgies of the Western Lake,
And be no more
the pure stream of today.
Lm
Hung
1 2th cent.
A.D.
176
THE THIRD MOON
In
May
flowers fade,
to
While
all
bloom among the
around the eaves.
night-jar cries half
until the
Ah
leaves,
day long the nesting swallow
flits
The
and others come
through the night
blood flows
fast.
vainly hoping to recall the
spring that
now
Wang
12th
is
past!
Feng-yuan
cent.
A.D.
177
WORSHIP,
The
AND AFTER
northern and the southern
49
hills
are one large burying-ground,
And
all
is
life
and bustle there
when the sacred day comes round.
Burnt paper cash^ like
butterflies,
fly fluttering far
and wide,
While mourners' robes with
tears of blood
a crimson hue are dyed.
The sun
sets,
down
and the red fox crouches
beside the tomb;
Night comes, and youths and maidens laugh
where lamps
light
up the gloom.
Let him, whose fortune brings him wine,
get tipsy while he may;
For no man, when the long night comes,
can take one drop away!
Kao Chu-nien
I2th cent. A.D.
:
178
AT
Long
HIS CLUB
past midnight the wife hears
the goatsucker's cry,
And
rises to see that the
silkworms are fed
Alas! there's the
moon
low
shining
in the sky,
But her husband has not yet
come back
to his bed.
Hsieh Fang-te
A.D. 1226— i28g
179
AT
Shadows of
HIS
BOOKS
pairing sparrows cross his
book,
Of poplar catkins, dropping overhead
The weary
student from his window-nook
Looks up
to find that spring
is
long
since dead.
Yeh Li
13th
cent.
A.D.
i8o
AT A MOUNTAIN MONASTERY
I
mounted when the cock had
And
just begun,
reached the convent ere the
bells
were done.
A
gentle zephyr whispered o'er the lawn;
Behind the wood the moon gave way to
dawn.
And
in this
Stretching
No
pure sweet solitude
my
I
lay,
limbs out to await the day.
sound along the willow pathway dim
Save the
soft
echo of the bonzes' hymn.
Liu Chi
A.D. 1311—1375
i8i
OMNES EODEM
A
centenarian 'mongst
Is rare;
The
and
if
men
one comes, what then?
mightiest heroes of the past
Upon
the hillside sleep at
last.
Liu Chi
l82
APOLOGIA
In vain hands bent on sacrifice
we
or clasped in prayer
The ways
God
of
are not exactly
what those ways should
The
see;
be.
swindler and the ruffian
lead pleasant lives enough,
While judgments overtake the good
and many a sharp
The swaggering
rebuff.
bully stalks along
as blithely as you please,
While those who never miss
their prayers
are martyrs to disease.
And
if
great
God Almighty
to
What
can
fails
keep the balance
we hope
true,
that paltry
mortal magistrates
will
do?
Hsieh Chin
A.D. is6g—i4is
i83
TO HER LOVER
The
tide in the river beginning to rise,
Near the sad hour of
parting, brings tears
to our eyes;
Alas
that
these furlongs of willow-strings
gay
Cannot hold
fast
the boat that will soon
be away!
Chao
Ts'ai-chi^'^
i^th
cent.
A.D.
1
84
TO HIS COFFIN
An
eternal
home
shall
Or
hesitate to
I
struggle for a few
of fleeting
A
awaits me,
go?
more hours
below?
life
home, wherein the clash of arms
I
And
can never hear again!
shall I strive to linger
thorny world of pain ?
in this
The
breeze will soon blow cool o'er me,
and the bright moon shine o'erhead,
When
blended with the gems of earth
I
My
lie
in
pen and ink
inside
So
my
that
if
I
my
shall
go with me
funeral hearse,
I've leisure
may
bed.
last
soothe
"over there"
my
soul with verse.
Fang Shu-shao
15th
cent.
A.D.
i85
TO GENERAL MAO
Southward,
in all the
panoply
of cruel war arrayed,
See,
Our
heroic general points
and waves
Across the
hills
his glittering blade!
and streams
the lizard-drums"
While
glint of
terrific roll,
myriad banners
flashes high from pole to pole
Go, scion of the Unicorn,
and prove thy heavenly
And
crush to
all
birth.
eternity
these insects of the earth;
And when
thou com'st, a conqueror,
from those wild barbarian lands.
We
will
unhitch thy war-cloak
with
Our own Imperial hands!
Chu Hou-tsung^^
A.D. 1507 1566
—
i86
TO AN ABSENT LOVER
Your notes on paper
Two
Be
flying joy-birds bear;
like the birds
Not
rare to see,
like the
and
fly to
me,
paper rare!
Chao Li-hua
1 6th cent.
^^,
A.D.
i87
INWARD LIGHT
With wine and
flowers
we chase
the hours,
In one eternal spring;
No moon, no
light,
to cheer the night,
Thyself that ray must bring.
P^u Sung-ling
Born A.D. 1622
i88
AN AGNOSTIC
You ask me why
But not
The God
sits
I
greet the priest
his
God;
mute, the
Returns
my
man
at least
nod.
Anon
1 8th cent.
A.D.
i89
A SCOFFER
I've ever thought
How
all
men
And wear
And bow
it
reverence some God,
their lives out for his
their
heads
'Tis clear to
me
Of
stuff as
Ah,
I'd
the
if
passing odd
same
the
until
sake
they ache.
Gods are made
wind or shade
they came to every
caller,
be the very loudest bawler!
Yiian
Met
A.D. lyis—iygj
190
AN IMPROMPTU^*
Though
the torrent be
swift,
it
can ne'er
carry off
the
Though
moonbeam
that lights
up
its
the mountain be high, yet
bed;
it
cannot arrest
the fast-flying cloud overhead.
Lu
ChU'cfii
1 8th cent.
A.D.
igi
THE DIVINEST OF ALL THINGS
Man
is
indeed of heavenly birth,
Though seeming earthy of the
The sky
Of
is
earth;
but a denser pall
the thin air that covers
Just as this air, so
is
Why
and
call this low,
The dewdrop
all.
that sky;
call that
high?
sparkles in the cup
—
Note how the eager flowers spring up;
Confine and crib them in a room,
They fade and
So
The
'tis
find
an early doom.
that at our very feet
earth
and the empyrean meet.
4
192
The babe
at birth points
heavenward
too,
Enveloped by the eternal blue;
As
fishes in the
water bide,
So heaven surrounds on every
Yet men
Great
sin on,
God
in
side;
because they say
heaven
is
far
away.
Chao I
A.D.
i'/2'j
— 18
1
:
!
'93
ADVICE TO GIRLS"
Trust not spring clouds, trust not to flowers
The
Oh
is
caught;
^
snatch no passing joy in hours
Of
A
butterfly
pleasure wrongly sought!
mien severe and eyes that freeze
Become the
No
future bride;
whispering underneath the trees
Ere yet the knot be
'Tis
tied.
heaven on earth when
woman wed
Leans on her husband's arm;
Beauty, like flowers,
Oh
envy not
its
is
quickly shed:
charm
Chang Win-fao
1 8th cent. A.D.
13
;;
194
INTEGER VIT^
Riches and rank
—
a morning dream
in
spring;
Fame
Thy
— but an unsubstantial cloud above
very body
Hate
is
is
not thine for ay;
the end of love.
Fix not a golden collar on thy neck;
Be not with chain of jade
in service
bound
Pure heart and few desires: earth's dust
shake
And
happiness
is
off
—
found.
Anon
1 8th
cent.
A.D.
195
OPPORTUNITY
The
cup's in the hand,
seize the
How
seldom
hour ere
'tis
fled;
in life
is
the
moon overhead!
Anon
196
CHANCE
You may
set with all care,
but the flow 'ret
will fade,
While the chance-planted willow-twig
grows
into shade.
Anon
197
A LAMENT
O
ruthless Fate!
O
cruel boon!
To meet
And
so late
part so soon.
Anon
'
NOTES
The Odes
some 300 of the old national ballads of
and edited by Confucius, B.C. 551 479.
They now form part of the Confucian Canon, and must be
studied by all candidates for an official career. It is upon
these Odes that the poetry of China has been based. The
rhymes found therein are still the only recognised rhymes,
although many of them are no longer rhymes to the ear. It
is as though our writers of verse should rhyme "sweet" with
"root," on the ground that Chaucer did so. Blank verse is
unknown.
I.
China,
As
are
—
collected
have used measures of different
to metre, the Chinese
lengths, varying from one foot only to eleven feet
more
is
no
to the line.
difficulty
Each
in
foot being a monosyllabic
seeing
that the scansion
Odes are mostly written in lines of four feet
always in lines of
five or
seven
and even
word there
correct. The
modern poetry
is
;
feet.
For poetical purposes all the characters in the language
are ranged under two tones, as flats and sharps. These occupy certain fixed places, just as dactyls and spondees occupy
fixed places in the construction of Latin verse. Thus in a
stanza of the ordinary five-character length the following tonal
arrangement must appear:
—
Sharp sharp
flat flat sharp
Flat fiat sharp sharp flat
Flat flat flat sharp sharp
Sharp sharp sharp
flat flat
200
This "woven stuff"
2.
is
supposed to have been stamped
pieces of linen, used as a circulating
medium
before the in-
troduction of the bank-note.
The dove is very fond of mulberries, but
3.
become intoxicated by them.
Son of the founder of the Han dynasty,
4.
said to
is
to the throne
of which he succeeded in B.C. 180.
5.
Liu
great
Han
poem
records the loss of a favourite concubine.
This lady was for a long time the chief favourite of
7.
the
dynasty.
This
6.
succeeded his father as sixth Emperor of the
Ch'^6
Emperor of
tenth
superseded, she
the
Han
upon which she had written these
8.
art to
A
When
at
prince of the
6*
length
silk fan
farewell lines.
cent. B.C.,
who
studied the black
such purpose that he rode up to heaven on the back
of a crane. See
9.
dynasty.
forwarded to his Majesty a white
"Home
Longings,'' p. 57.
Drugs of immortality, coupled with alchemistic
occupied for
many
centuries
the
researches,
attention of Taoist philo-
sophers.
10.
The Chinese Hades.
11.
A
12.
These
descendant of Confucius in the
poets, notably
20*
generation.
four lines have been imitated by several
by Chang Chiu-ling who wrote as follows:
last
—
my lord left
ah me^ unhafpy hour I
The half-span web hangs idly in my bower;
Since
My heart is like the full moon^ full of fains^
Save that Uis always full and never wanes.
—
20I
Younger brother of the first Emperor of the Wei dynwhom he became an object of suspicion. These lines
were delivered impromptu in response to an order from his
Majesty to compose a poem while taking seven steps.
13-
asty, to
14.
A
15.
On
fabled ruler, said to dwell
K'^un-lun range.
one occasion the poet Hsieh Tao-hSng wrote the
following lines:
A
upon the
—
week in the spring
Like an absence
appears
to the exile
from home of a
couple of years.
Thereupon a "southerner" who was present sneered and
"That is shallow stuff!" immediately producing the
cried out
couplet in the text.
16.
This term includes the rulers under the Golden Age,
Confucius, Mencius, and any other divinely-inspired teacher
of the cardinal virtues.
17.
The Yellow-Crane Kiosque
of the Yang-tze, the River par
Han
still
stands on the banks
near
excellence.,
Fu
its
junction
Hupeh. See note 8.
Li Po at one time thought of writing a poem on this theme,
but he gave up the idea so soon as he had read the lines
by Ts%i Hao.
with the
river at Wu-ch'^ang
18.
An
19.
See notes 8 and 17.
20.
A.D. 320
impromptu,
disguise at
— 385.
at the
On
in
age of ten.
one occasion, when roaming in
the spot mentioned in the text, he fell in with
the poet Yiian
Hung, and became thereafter his attached friend
and patron.
21.
Chinese fable says that the
moon
huge toad which occasionally swallows
is
it;
inhabited by a
hence
eclipses.
202
Also that there are groves of cassias in the moon, and a hare
visible to the naked eye, engaged in preparing the drug of
immortality.
The
the legendary
allusion to the "suns" refers to a story of
Hou
archer,
I,
who when
a number of false
suns appeared in the sky, to the great detriment of the crops,
them with
shot at and destroyed
One
22.
fine
his arrows.
evening, the Emperor
Ming Huang who was
enjoying himself with his favourite lady in the palace grounds,
Li Po to commemorate the scene in verse. After
some delay the poet arrived^ supported between two eunuchs.
"Please your Majesty," he said, "I have been drinking with
"the Prince and he has made me drunlc, but I will do my
"best." Thereupon two of the ladies of the harem held up
called for
in front of
him
pink
a.
he had thrown
no
off
which the one in the
silk screen,
less
than
and in a very short time
ten eight-line stanzas, of
text is a specimen.
The poet, having incurred the
Yang Kuei-fei, was forced
23.
favourite,
After penning these lines
.24.
at
night, the poet
said to have
is
over the side in a drunken
effort
displeasure of the famous
to
go into
on board
a,
exile.
pleasure-boat
been drowned by falling
to embrace the reflection
of the moon.
A
25.
famous poet of the 2"^ cent. B.C.
He
with a beautiful widow and was driven to keep
the father-in-law relented.
until
like himself to
that
he
is
now
not at once embrace a hermit's
27.
A
refers
to
joint.
The "mango-bird"
The
».
hints that he
tavern,
would
meet a similar partner.
Meaning
26.
Tu Fu
ran away
specimen of
doubtful whether he should
life.
political allegory.
a virtuous statesman for
"ferry-boat"
is
is
whom
The
"lonely plant"
the time
is
out of
a worthless politician in power.
the Ship of State.
203
A
28.
the
state
of mental abstraction, by recourse to which
Buddhist gradually shakes
existence.
In every monastery
set apart for this
poem
This
29.
2">d cent.
desire for sublunary
all
is
a,
building specially
may be
purpose, and there the priests
sitting for hours together
the
off
there
refers
who
B.C.,
seen
with their eyes closed.
to
the great general
Han Hsin
in his poverty-stricken
of
days was
saved from starving by a kindly washerwoman. Later on he
remembered and provided for his benefactress. The "griefbird"
is
epithet
the goatsucker or nightjar.
The "nobleman'' was an
Han
used by the washerwoman to
by a presentiment of
Hsin, as though
his future greatness.
30.
In experience of the ups and downs of
31.
Confucius.
32.
The Chinese
33.
One
prefer hillsides for their burying-grounds.
of the gold hairpins delicately inlaid with king,
fisher feathers,
34..
life.
much worn by Chinese
Having nothing
better
to do.
ladies.
The
dragon-fly strikes
a note of loneliness.
35.
She hears from a distance the sound of revels in which
she once joined as chief favourite.
36.
Water-clocks were
early period,
and are
When
known
still to
to
the Chinese at a very
be seen in China.
was ordered to a distant post, he said
"Within ten years I shall be Governor. If I
"do not return within that time, marry whomsoever you please."
He came back at the end of fourteen years to find her married
37.
the poet
to his fiancee,
and the mother of three children.
38. Referring to two stars which are separated by the
Milky Way, except on the 7* night of the 7* moon in
204
each year, when magpies form a bridge for the Damsel to
pass over to her lover.
This famous poet having been caught by brigands was
39.
ordered to give a specimen of his
text earned his
immediate
art.
The impromptu
in the
release.
40.
A
41.
Tao means "The Way" and refers originally to the
Lao Tzii who flourished some
poetess.
teaching of the philosopher
seven centuries B.C.
It
here signifies the arts of prolonging
of transmutation of metals,
life,
sociated with
42.
Lao Tzu's
etc.,
which came
to
be
as-
doctrines.
Resembling the delicately curved eye-markings of the
silkworm moth.
43.
A
44.
Referring to the polished discs of metal anciently used
poetess.
by
as mirrors
to
the Chinese.
45.
The Milky Way.
46.
The
story
runs
speak, until one
that as a child the poet
day, being carried
up
pagoda, he burst out with the lines in the
47.
ticians
Allegorical.
The
who held
their
was unable
to the top of a
text.
"flower shadows" stand for evil poli-
own
against the
brooms of virtuous
statesmen, but disappeared at the death of their patron, the
Emperor Shen Tsung,
in 1086, to reappear
upon
the death
of his successor.
stand upon the seat of the swing.
48.
Chinese
49.
Referring to the annual spring worship at the tombs
girls
of ancestors. See also p. 166.
50.
A
poetess-Anonyma.
205
51.
Covered with
52.
Eleventh Emperor of the Ming dynasty. General
lizard-skin.
Annam, 1539
crushed a serious revolt in
fell
into disfavour
and was
— 1541, but
Mao
later
on
cashiered.
53. A poetess-Anonyma. Chinese note-paper is covered
with pictures of various designs, such as the birds in the text.
54.
These
lines
were uttered by the poet, when lying tipsy
in the high road, to the Prefect
and who was rating him
for
the Prefect," he cried, "that
that
is
55.
my
who happened
to
be passing
unseemly behaviour. "You are
is
your business;
I
am
'drunk,
business."
Written
after
perusing the work on the duties of women
by Pan Chao, the famous female
historian of the i^' cent.
A.D.
INDEX TO POETS
Chang Chi ^S
^
^^7
Chang Chiu-ling gg ;^
Chang
Pi
§i
Chang Wei
#
^
48
160
^ f|
104
Chang Wen-t=ao 5| 59 1^ ^93
Chang Yen gg {g 135
Ch'ang Chien
Chao Chia
Chao
I
'^
^^
^
92
141
^S
^^p
^^^
191
Chao Li-hua
Cha6
186
Ts=ai-chi
^ :^
Ch'en T'ao ^ |^
Ch^an Po
Ch'en Tzii-ang
Ch'eng
Hao jg
183
161
i59
|^ -^
f|
^
168
43
208
#
Chi P'o
^ 3§
Chia Chih
Chiang Yen
;^
Ch^in T'^ao-yii
Chu
iss
^:f|»
Ch^ing-yii
95
38
;?§
^ ^ 3E
:^ ^ ^
Chu Hou-tsung :^ J^
148
93
^Jl
^^
^^^
^ ;^ ^P
Chu Shu-chen :^
Ch'^iian
Te-yu
Fang Shu-shao
18s
139
109
184
Fu Mi '^ J^ 28
Han
Wu
Han Yu
Ho
^ j^
^ ^ no
^^^
156
Chih-chang
Hsiao
Yen
Hsieh Chin
^
46
^Jj 40
^^182
Hsieh Fang-te
Hj"
^^
^^
Hsu An-chen ^ ^ ^
Hsu Kan ^ #
^ if #
Hsieh Jung
178
144
146
25
Huang-fu Jen
143
1
209
Huang
Hung
Ka
Chii-nien
Keng Wei
K^ng
^ ^ j^
^^ ^
Li
23
S4
^^#
^ ^ j^
^^
^^
^^
Ho
Lil
153
I2S
158
^^
Li Shang-yin
Li She
151
120
Li Pin
Li Po
'77
126
Li Ch=ang-fu
Li Chia-yu
172
10
^ <£
Jung :fL
i66
^°3
^P^
;|)C'^$
Ku K'uang
^
*^ -^
Chiieh-fan
Chia-yiin
Kao
^^^
T'^ing-chien
S8
^ j^ ^
^'^
Li Shih-chih
Li Tuan
136
^ j^ :^
^Jl^
Lin Hung
i33
^'^
Liu Ch'ang-ch'ing
52
152
17S
MM^
^°^
Liu Ch^e fij tie 17
14
2IO
S
Liu Chi f)J
80
1
Liu Fang-p^ing flj :J^
Liu Heng
g
f(J
Yii-hsi
Lu
Chu-ch'i
Ma
Tzii-jan
;^
Mei Sheng
Meng Hao-jan
^
g
"90
i45
^
^ 1^ ^
13
U^
The
^21
1^ ft i^
,||
Ou-yang Hsiu
Po
Chii-i
^#
^^^M
^f^
163
Shao Yung
Ssii-k'ung
Shu
Ssu-ma Kuang
Su Shih
Yii
187
164
||
^ ^ Bi
^ ,% ^
^^
Sung Chih-wen
Sung
123
'M#^
gJJ
'9
36
Q^^
P^u Sung-ling
49
i
P;
Pan, The Lady
Pao Chao
154
iS
MM^
Liu
Odes,
2p
94
165
170
tIc
;^5
^ 59
II
47
21
I
^^ -^
Tai Fu-ku
^
Tai Shu-lun
173
;#J 'f^
142
T'ao Ch^ien |^
j^ 32
^
^^
Ts^ao Chih "if
Ts'^en Ts^an
Tsu Yung
Hao -g II
Ts'ui
Hu
Tu
107
57
H^
108
^
149
-g
Ch'iu-niang
^i
^ -^
80
Tu Fu
99
^<
|g.
Ts^ii
Ts'ui T'u
27
^^
'So
^ -S
"^7
Tu Mu i^ i^
129
Wang
An-shih
3E
Wang
Ch'ang-ling
^^
Wang Chia ^ ^
Wang
Chi
^ |^ ^
105
41
138
^
Wang Feng-yuan 3E
1^
100
Wang Han
^^
Wang Po ^ ^ 42
Wang Wei 3E H
53
"7^
212
Wei Ying-vm
Yang
Yang
^^^
^g
Chu-yiian
I
Yeh Li
^ -^
^^
Yeh Shih |^
Yiian Chen
Yiian Mei
^
jj^^
162
179
j|g
7C
9^
^
;1v^
174
124
189
128
5
By
the
A
same Author:
Chinese-English Dictionary, ryl
4'°,
pp. XLVI
and 141
Strange
Stories
from a
Chinese Studio,
2
vols. cr. 8™.
Gems of
Chinese Literature
Historic China
Chuang
Tzu,
and
other Sketches
— Mystic, Moralist, aud Social
Reformer
Chinese Sketches
Chinese without a Teacher,
3"^
edition
Record of the Buddhistic Kingdoms
Glossary
of Reference on the Far East,
2""*
edition
Remains of Lao
Tz'S,
Synoptical Studies in Chinese Character
Handbook of the Swatow Dialect
From Swatow to Canton Overland
Dictionary of Colloquial Idioms
San Tzu Ching and CJ^ien Tzu Wen, metrically
translated
A
Chinese Biographical Dictionary,
ryl 8™,
pp. XII and 1022
Catalogue of the
Wade
Library, Cambridge
PRINTED BY
E. J.
BRILL, LgYDEN (HOLLAND).